FIRST time fixes are being trialled across South Holland in a bid to fill potholes faster.
After three back-to-back bad winters Lincolnshire County Council had been facing a big backlog of road repairs where freezing conditions had left large holes.
Emergency repairs were carried out to make the area safe for road users, but these were often short-term solutions and required a return visit by workmen to carry out a permanent fix.
But after the recent spell of bad weather this winter, the council has revealed it is taking part in trials of new materials and processes which aim to provide a long-term fix with just one visit.
Paul Rusted, head of Highways – Client Services, said: “We have completed the repair of all the potholes that developed as a result of the last three years of severe winter weather and are continuing to repair any further potholes that we become aware of, using ten teams to carry out any necessary work.
“We have completed an extensive programme of surface dressing and are in the process of finishing other carriageway repairs to prevent the formation of further potholes.
“Highways are also trialling a number of new products and processes to help reduce potholes forming in the future.”
The trials have included the Jet Patcher process, which uses a tanker to deliver hot bitumen, filler and aggregate into a pothole in one operation, and the Hot Box, which carries permanent hot material that remains sufficiently workable to carry out repairs throughout the day.
Members of the county council’s highways, transport and technology scrutiny were told at a meeting yesterday that the trials, particularly using the Hot Box, have seen some successes.
The council now intends to merge its trial results with emerging guidance from the national Highway Maintenance Efficiency Programme to finalise an overall approach to pothole repairs.